ma PART V- USING ENGLISH VARIETY FREEDOM not only the levels of language structure which, singly or in combination, can be used in deviant ways as part of literary self-expression: the complexes of features which define regional and social varieties (p-290) can also be put to use. A text may begin in cone variety, then switch ro another, or build up effets by incorporating features of several varieties. This is most evident in the novel, where there is lle difficulty in introducing occupational vacieties and nonstandard forms of speech as part of the portrayal of character; and some novelists (such as Dickens and Hardy) have a considerable reputation for their abil- ity 0 capture variety usage in this way (p.89). By contrast, it is much more difficult to introduce vari- ery distinceiveness into poctry: the tighter constraints ‘on language imposed by a metrical scheme or verse structure can easily distore che features which ic is intended to represent. Ic is no small fea to introduce even an everyday conversation into a poem (as does ‘LS. Eliot, p.412) so that ic both retains its natural- ness yet permits a line-based structuring which inte- grates well with the rest of the text. The incorpora- tion of individual lexical items from a recognized regional or social variety is common enough (such as the scientific figurativeness of the metaphysical poets or the religious allusiveness of the romantics), but it is unusual to find in a pocm lines which tap the whole range of variety features — in phonology, ¢graphology. grammar, lexicon, and discourse. NAMING OF VARIETIES ‘STRUCTURING THE RIDICULOUS CODE-SWITCHING Thisextact from Waiter Scotts The Antiquary, > plays. regional varity con ‘eastin ction: between ‘Seuthern British English and ‘Seots(p. 328). The Engl speaking traveller icom- Planing to Seotespeaking Mis Macleuchar about = ron-arval of her cach. it an nia fit of inignation, ‘Sheswitehes nto engi a shetrlesto evade the ise, Thea reversto ots when sheoalzes ier stratagem willot work Walter scott's charactersoften switch between varieties whan itis tothe advantage to doo, “say, Mes Macleveher” “Tamjustserving 9cus tomer.~ indeed inn, al ‘One ofthe mes succesful instances of varety freedom in poste s Henry Reeds Lesions ofthe War" (1946), where two poems, "Naming of Parts and ‘budging Dstaneas'(p,419), el for thet impact on the use Df awide range of festures from two occupational backgrounds. The Clinical commentary ofthe army instructor is made to contrast with the reflective tones of te poet in phenclogy, syntax, vocabulary idiom, and discourse In orl performance, the phonological contrast ererges ‘even more early when the txts readin two oles Naming of Pans To-day we have naming of parts. Yesterday, Ue had dally cleaning, And to-morrow merring, ‘We shal have what todo after fring, But today, To-day we have naming of parts. Japonica Glistens Iie coral in allof the neighbouring gardens, ‘And to-day we have naming of parts, ‘Thisis the tomer sling swivel, And this Isthe upper sting swivel, whose use you wil se, |Whan you ae given your slings. And thisisthe piling sel, ‘which in your ease you Rave not got. The branches Hold inthe gardens hel sent, eloquent gestures, ‘Which in our case we have nt got. This the safety catch which s always released With an easy fick of the thumbs And please do not let me See anyone using his finger. You can do it quite easy Ifyou have ary strength in your thumb. The blessoms Ate faglleand motionless never letting aryone see ‘Any oF them using tet finger. ‘And this you can see the bolt. The purpose ofthis Isto.open the breech, as you se. We can sie it Aaplly backwards and forwards: we cll this Easing the spring. And rapily Backwards and forwards ‘The early bees are assaulting and fumbling the flowers: “They call easing the Spring ‘They cll easing the Spring: itis perfectly easy 1 youhave any strength in your thumb: lke the bolt, ‘And the breech, andthe ccking-plece, and the point of balance, ‘Which in our case we have not got and the almand-blossom Siler nal af the gardens and the bees going backwards and forwards, For today we have naming of pars Inthis extract from F Simpzon's A ro beabedle cheaper than! Fescunding Tinkle 1957), agenreofthe | tellye! ‘arletyofmedicine-thedoctorpotent | “Woman, reiterated the traveller “doyoutinkwe canstand here all day il you Ihave cheated that poor ser vant wench out of he haf vd bountth? Interviews used tostuctureon {pisode in the theatre ofthe absurd. The technique uss the conventions of this setting tomotivata the humour ather ‘than to poke fun attheconventions ‘themelves.n this respec, eles From parody (. 409), which more tan any bother gence depends for itsthrustan the exaggeration of variety features, SECOND COMEDIAN: te my feet, Doctor FARST COMEDIAN: Whats the matter with your fet? SECOND COMEDIAN: 1wasrather hoping youright be able tell me that, Macieuchar, eager to take up {the quarrel upon a defers Ble ground. "scorn your ‘words, sit; youare an unc person, andldesre you wi Rotstand thereto slander me ‘tiny ain statheod.” The woman,’ sod the senior looking witha arch Doctor, lance athis destined travel: [FIRST COMEDIAN: Let mesee them. ling companion, doesnot Second Comedian takesofsocksand | Understand the wards of thoes SECOND COMEDIAN: They're alright ‘wits whan they suedenly swivel Found they catch me. ‘action = Woman, again turning tothe vault," arraign not thy character, but Tosite to know whats Second Comedian holdsoutbothiegs | become of ty coach, ‘quite aight in front of hi. Fst manseootolt Comedian stands over them ansered Ms Macleuehar, {RST COMEDIAN: Winat are these? SECOND COMEDIAN: Theyro my kneecaps Doctor FIRST COMEDIAN: They ought tobe ‘much higher up your legs than this. SECOND COMEDIAN: Leantseemto ‘keep themup, Doctor First Comedian goesto vosh-basia where he begins washing his ‘hands while Second Comedian goes na the commer where the desk conceals hi, to undress. FIRST COMEDIAN: Eardrumsstil getting overheated? SECOND COMEDIAN: Only ‘ahen listen toanything, Docer, ‘elapsing into deafness. | | | i